United New Zealand
leader, Hon Peter Dunne, says the District Court's decision
in the case of former Alliance press secretary, Moana
Sinclair, raises fresh questions about the Government's
review of the driver's licence system.

Mr Dunne has
previously criticised the Government's review as too narrow
and ill-timed, and says the Sinclair decision proves him
right on both counts.

"It shows that the Government rushed
into a narrowly focussed review before relevant Court
rulings like the Sinclair verdict were available."

"This
ruling - that even though she did not have a photographic
licence Ms Sinclair was not an unlicensed driver - goes to
the heart of much of the concern about the new
system."

"Many people who have philosophical objections to
carrying a digitised photographic licence have not upgraded
their old lifetime licences and have been wondering about
their legal position as a consequence."

"This ruling
implies that although they may not have a new licence, they
cannot be regarded as unlicensed drivers."

"Where does
this leave other drivers - such as older people who have not
passed their new licence test?"

"Are they now to be seen
in the same light as Ms Sinclair?" Mr Dunne asks.

Mr Dunne
says this is a serious issue the Government's review needs
to address.

"Otherwise, this review will become a
meaningless mockery of how to make the system work better,
while the Courts are in effect saying that it does not
matter, because the old lifetime licence means someone is
still a licensed driver, even if they do not have the new
photographic licence."

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